This invention addresses the problem of intuitively representing and managing large data stores of information relating to network configuration, connectivity, resource utilization, connection management and service availability. Although this problem is particularly relevant in computer controlled communications networks, it is also prevalent in other types of networks which require specified interconnectivity of a large multiplicity of network elements. Network administrators lack intuitive tools to retrieve and view status of network elements organized in a number of different formats, such as by user, by host, by connection type etc. The administrators also need simple means of querying, adding and deleting information from the store.
Broadly speaking, there are two general methods of configuring, administering, monitoring modeling networks: graphical and non-graphical. This invention defines a method of using a non-graphical intuitive method for organizing information using “catalogs” (or lists), methods for creation and manipulation of elements within catalogs, methods for presentation of catalogs, manipulation of catalogs and linking of tasks to catalog elements.
In networks with more than a few connections between network elements, graphical methods that show connections among network elements as visible lines are hampered by the size of display area required to show the connections in a useful way. This method is also limited in the amount and type of information about the connection and network elements that can be shown. Practically, with more than a few 10s of connections, the number of lines becomes so large that a graphical display (either on screen or on paper) becomes too cluttered to be useful. FIG. 1 shows an example of a network 100 having ten elements, 101-110, which are mesh connected. No additional information (such as type of link, link status, traffic load, configuration options, etc.) beyond connectivity among elements is shown in the figure. Even with only this one piece of information, the graphical image is beginning to become unusable. Thus a better method of representing connections between network elements is needed.
The following are definitions of terms as used herein:                Network Element—the start or end point of a connection.        Sub-element—element that is a member of a catalog that is itself an element in a catalog.        Catalog—a named set of elements. The catalog elements can be atomic or can themselves be a catalog, thus enabling catalogs of catalogs of catalogs and so on.        Sub-catalog—A catalog included in another catalog.        